Festival Sections
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
The International Competition for Short and Feature Films is composed of films that have never been publicly screened in Portugal and which were finished in the festival year or the year before. To this section can apply first or second works, fiction, animation, documentaries or experimental films, in a clear bet in new directors.
NATIONAL COMPETITION
This section aims at giving national and international recognition to Portuguese shorts and features finished in the festival year or the year before.
OBSERVATORY
Some of the most important works of the year, in particular those by established authors, will be presented in this non-competing section.
EMERGING CINEMA
Exploring new trends in world cinema, fresh narrative forms and promising voices, this section highlights innovative works by emerging filmmakers.
WORLD PULSE
This section is focused in our world. It presents films dealing with the global or local issues that define the current state of things.
INDEPENDENT HERO
This retrospective section is dedicated to those who go beyond the mainstream in filmmaking and help to open new and unconventional paths in cinema. Past editions honourees include directors Júlio Bressane, Heddy Honigman, Jacques Nolot, Werner Herzog, Shinji Ayoama, Jay Rosenblatt, Michael Glawogger, Jia Zhang-ke, Nobuhiro Suwa, Edgar Pêra, Johnnie To, José Luis Guerín, the Berlinale Forum, the new German cinema, the Sundance Film Festival, the contemporary Argentinean cinema and the Romanian independent cinema.
INDIEJUNIOR
Programmed for children between three year-old and fifteen year-old, the screenings of this competitive section are presented both to school pupils and to the general audience.
DIRECTOR’S CUT
A program of recently restored titles, rediscoveries and films which reflect upon cinema itself, its artistic dimension and its history.
INDIEMUSIC
A program composed by films, mainly documentaries focusing in music, namely the pop/rock independent scene and its protagonists.
